Romance Warfare: a Tigress' Guide to NOT Secure a Mate(13)

Eva felt the longing ache in her sex.

He stopped his tapping and stared at Eva as she stood in the doorway. “You, ah, you look great, Eva,” he said.

“Thank you.” Eva couldn’t help but preen a little. Her generous curves were outlined in a form-fitting dress of deep wine. The fabric shimmered as she put a hand on her waist and cocked her hip to the side. Her breasts were plumped up with a ridiculously expensive and gorgeous bra she couldn’t really afford but bought anyway, giving her a deep cleavage that was perfectly showcased in the scoop of the neckline. A tiny jewel on a thin gold chain nestled in the cleft, the glittering drawing attention to her milky skin. Her hair was piled high on her head, with several loose curls framing her face. She gave a little turn and wiggled, then giggled. “Sorry, I never get the chance to dress up. I thought I’d go for some real Vegas glam while I could.”

“No, you look beautiful.” Adam smiled down at her and offered her his elbow.

Eva only hesitated for a second before slipping her hand into the crook of his arm, letting him lead her down the hall towards the elevators. She wasn’t sure why he was being nice all of a sudden, but she didn’t want to say anything to ruin this good mood.

Temporary cease fire, she thought to herself. I could use the break to enjoy what Vegas has to offer.

When the doors slid open, Dean was lounging against the mirrored wall of the elevator. His nonchalant act slipped away when he spied Eva standing there with her arm linked through Adam’s. His lips tightened for a moment before he gave her a lopsided grin, his eyes sweeping up and down her curves.

“Eva, babe, I think my heart just stopped. You look gorgeous.” He gave a low whistle and tugged her away from Adam, pulling her into a hug, lifting her up until just the tips of her shoes brushed the floor. He pressed his face into her neck and inhaled deeply. “Damn girl, I could eat you like red velvet cake.”

Eva swatted at Dean and giggled. He’d always been able to lighten up situations with his sense of humor. Except, as they stepped into the elevator, she realized that the atmosphere wasn’t exactly light. Adam was glowering at Dean, a deadly gleam in his eye. Dean was ignoring Adam, his gazed fastened on Eva, eyes wandering her body like she actually was dessert and he hadn’t eaten in weeks. The anger and lust made the air in the elevator throb with tension.

Twenty minutes later Eva was in a reception room sipping on a glass of white wine. Dean had a whiskey neat in one hand while the other was fiddling with a curvy blonde’s necklace. Eva rolled her eyes at his antics and turned to find Adam.

Adam was standing at a cocktail table draped in a white tablecloth, his vodka on ice melting untouched in front of him. His eyes were darting around the room, zeroing in something behind Eva. When she looked over her shoulder she saw a tall, dark-haired man approaching her, his stride predatory and his eyes on fire. She was confused when he suddenly veered to the left, his gaze sliding away from her.

She looked back to Adam to find his lip curled in a silent snarl, his eyes snapping. Something wasn’t right. Adam was standing over her like a bodyguard, his face warning off every man in a fifty-meter radius. Eva looked around to see several men eyeing her, their desire for her palpable in a way that made her suddenly realize how overheated she felt in the air-conditioned room. Her skin seemed to have become inexplicably sensitive and she could feel when the fabric of her dress slid against her curves. The lace of her bra suddenly felt too constricting, pressing into the soft flesh of her breasts.

Eva didn’t have time to respond when someone tapped her shoulder. Adam had stepped between her and whoever had his hand on her arm. She turned to find a handsome, red-haired man nearly nose to nose with Adam. Tension was roiling off both of them in waves.

“Back to where you came from, cub,” Adam snarled at the guy.

The man’s eyes flicked from Eva to Adam and back, sizing up his chances. His teeth elongated for a split second before he pivoted and strode off, leaving Eva staring up at Adam in confusion.

“He was a shifter?” she asked.

“A Bengal. Just like the twenty or so others that have been staring you down since we walked in the door.”

“Twenty,” she scoffed. “There’s no way. I think I’d notice twenty other shifters wandering around.”

“You haven’t noticed much of anything today, Eva. You’ve been in your own world. And yes, there are twenty or so other shifters here and they’re here because of you.”

“Well, why are you chasing them off then? It’s been ages since I’ve had a date. Introduce me,” she joked.

“No.” He growled low in his throat and grabbed her upper arm, his grip tightening almost painfully as he tugged her toward the door.

She snatched her arm from his hand. “What the hell, Adam?”

“Get outside.” He steered her from the reception room towards a hallway.

“Oh no. I’m not going down anymore hallways with you.”

“Do you think this is a f*cking joke, Eva?”

“I’m beginning to wonder if you’re a f*cking joke, Adam,” she snapped. “Get your goddamn hands off me. I’ve told you once and I’ll tell you again. I’m not your f*cking property. You have no say over me, understand? I. Am. Not. Your. Business.”

Adam snatched her to him, forcing her face up to his. “There are weretigers crawling all over this hotel right now because of you. You’re in heat. Every tiger within fifty miles has scented and tracked you here. So right now, keeping you safe is my business. You need to stay with me. Don’t leave my side all night.”